The Biochemist and the Beast
by Skye Fitz-Simmons
Summary: Fitz has been turned into a werewolf and Simmons is looking for the cure. But time and luck are not on their side. Agent Hand has decided that Fitz is too dangerous to be left running loose. She's assigned Agent Skye to either bring him in or cross him off. Fitz-Simmons with some Skimmons moments. Rated T for Language and Violence
1. The BioChemist and the Beast

It had been a year now since Fitz had developed his... condition. Simmons had been doing everything she could think of to keep him contained and satisfied but sometimes it still wasn't enough. She found herself cleaning up after him more and more these days. And it was getting harder to stay in the same place. The only advantage they had on their side was that most of the attacks could be explained away as animal attacks. With all the claw marks and fur he usually left around the scene, it was certainly believable.

Simmons had been working on a cure, but it wasn't going well. As far as she could tell from the blood samples she'd taken from Fitz, he was perfectly normal. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. She needed to get samples of him during the change but that was tricky. She had used the night-night gun on him before but the time he was asleep was not nearly sufficient for collecting samples. She needed to improve the strength of the dendrotoxin but she was afraid of causing him permanent damage. She certainly couldn't kill him, no matter what she used. But, each time he turned, he accrued more injuries. He had scars all over his body and Simmons did not want to be the cause of any one of them.

Right now, all she could do was work on his "enclosure". It was nice, as far as a means of containment. A deep pit the length and width of a professional football field enclosed with metal bars on top. The bars were heavily reinforces, electrified, and wrapped with razor wire. A bit excessive, Simmons thought, but Fitz had insisted on it. He had escaped far too many times to go easy. Thankfully, the new structure was nearly complete. It would be ready by the next full moon.

Simmons was down in the pit now, checking the sheet metal lined walls for any creases or edges that Fitz could use to climb up. Fitz was in their too, calibrating the electric wiring to be able to successfully stun something of his size. Well, the size he was during the change.

"Well, I have one thing to say: this is the most impressive cage I've ever built." Fitz said.

Simmons sighed and looked at him pleadingly.

"Enclosure, Fitz, please." she corrected.

Fitz shrugged.

"A prison by any other name…" he muttered as he continued working.

After a long silence, Simmons turned to Fitz, looking at him imploringly.

"Fitz, I've been working on the dendrotoxin formula for the night-night gun-"

"No, Jemma. I'm not letting you try and take samples, it's too dangerous." Fitz interrupted.

"Please, Fitz, I can't get anywhere with the cure if I don't get some samples from you while you're changed." she pleaded.

"Look, I don't care Jemma, I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger because of me." he insisted.

"And I'm not going to just sit by and let you suffer with this if there's something I can do to help!" she snapped back.

Fitz came over and put his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Jemma, I'm not going to be able to escape anymore, I'm positive this time. If you can keep me contained, there's no need for a cure, right?" he said seriously.

Jemma looked at him, horrified.

"No! Fitz, that's just not acceptable! You deserve better than this. Living your life in fear of hurting people, having to be locked up once a month, never being able to have a flat in the city like you love?"

She reached out and brushed his cheek gently.

"I want better for you Fitz. I want better for both of us." she murmured.

Fitz looked at her in distress. Truthfully, he was being selfish. He was fine with the whole thing but, well I just wasn't fair to Simmons. She had given up her whole life for him. Quit her dream job as resident surgeon at a very prestigious hospital. Moved out to middle-of-nowhere Kansas with him and the last year cleaning up his messes. He sighed and cupped her cheek.

"Alright. But I want you to be safe. Bring extra cartridges and give me a shot every five minutes, no matter what. And I want you to chain me before I turn. With the boat chain, Jemma, you understand?"

Jemma nodded putting her hand on his and turning to kiss his palm.

"We're going to fix this, Fitz. Together." she said softly.

Fitz smiled and stepped closer to her, looping his arm around her waist. He kissed her forehead gently.

"Right. Together. Just like we always do." he murmured, not entirely sure if he believed what he was saying.

~*#*~

Skye read the paperwork Agent Hand had given her. When she was done, she looked up at her superior in confusion.

"A series of animal attacks?" she asked incredulously.

Agent Hand nodded.

"Identical animal attacks. All of the victims were found around the same location, with very similar wounds, at the same time of the month. The night of the full moon." she explained.

Skye's eyes widened and a smile grew on her face.

"You think its werewolves?" she guessed.

Victoria Hand nodded.

"One werewolf, actually. From what we know, a pack typically does a lot more damage than what's going on here." she clarified.

Skye's mouth hung open.

"Wait, you've dealt with werewolves before?" she asked excitedly.

Hand shook her head.

"Not really. Its just speculation based on myths and past reports."

Skye frowned and slumped in her chair.

"Oh." she said disappointed.

Agent Hand pulled up a map on the holocomm and pointed to a large highlighted area.

"All of the attacks took place in this area. Not a lot out there other than some old farmhouses. I want you to go in and see if you can find a den of some kind. Maybe an abandoned house or barn. Anyplace someone could hide away in without being detected."

Skye nodded.

"What do you want me to do if I find something?" she asked.

"Well, as you can imagine, we'd like to be able to study the creature if we can. So, if possible, we'd like you to bring it in alive. However, if you assess that this thing is too big a threat, you are to terminate it and bring in the remains for evaluation. Understood?"

Skye nodded.

"I'll do my best." she said dutifully.

~*#*~

Simmons stirred the big pot of stew that sat on the stove. Tonight was the last night before the transformation and Fitz would need all the energy he could get. The change always took a big toll on him. Simmons heard the back door open and close and glanced over her shoulder to see Fitz come in and flop down on the couch. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, that's all done. Shouldn't be able to get out of that." he said as he relaxed back into the couch.

Simmons nodded and added a pinch of salt to the stew.

"We caught a few rabbits today. Should be enough to keep you occupied until dawn. Then, hopefully, we won't have to find out if the reinforcements will hold." she commented.

Fitz nodded.

"Yeah. I suppose that would be the best thing." he muttered.

He got up and came to stand behind Simmons. A rare smile worked its way onto his face as he inhaled the delicious smell of the stew. He closed his eyes and hummed in approval.

"Oh, Jemma, that smells heavenly." he complimented.

Simmons chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm no a cook, but stew is easy. I just hope it tastes as good as it smells. We're running low on salt." she said, dipping out a spoonful.

She held the spoon up to Fitz, who tasted a small bit. He licked his lips in satisfaction.

"No, it's fantastic, Jemma. Well done." he said, as he looped his arm around her waist and gently kissed her forehead.

Jemma closed her eyes and savored the feeling of his lips against her skin. Tears came, unbidden, and spilled out the corners of her eyes. Every fiber in her body wanted to embrace him. To hold him close and never let him go. To keep him from all of the terrible things in the world and only let him see the good things. That's why she had to figure this thing out. She had to free him from this curse so that he never felt this pain again. If she had her way, he would never be in pain again. She would fill all his days with happiness and love and see that wonderful smile a thousand times a day.

"Jemma?"

Simmons opened her eyes to see Fitz looking at her with concern. He reached out and brushed the tears from her face.

"Why are you crying, love?" he cooed.

Jemma's lip quivered and she shook her head.

"It's not fair, Fitz. You're such a good, kind, sweet person. Why did this happen to you?" she whispered hopelessly.

Fitz frowned and pulled Jemma into a tight embrace. She grabbed the front of his shirt gently and rested her head on his chest.

"I don't know, baby girl. I don't know." he murmured, stroking her hair softly.

Jemma took a deep breath and sighed, gently breaking away from him. She wiped her cheeks and sniffled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get all sappy." she said, trying to pull herself together.

She sighed and turned back to her cooking.

"This'll be ready soon. You should get the plates."

Fitz gave a half smile and nodded. That was just like her. Never wanting to show her weakness in anything bigger than small glimpses. Wanting to be strong for him when she was barely strong enough for herself. But, Lord, she tried. He had pretended more than once that he hadn't heard anything when he happened to walk in on her having a good cry.

Fitz set the table. Table for two. Simmons preferred it that way, but Fitz liked four better. Mum, dad, son and daughter. A family. His family. That seemed like a hollow dream now. Something that he could want but never have. But he had Simmons and, for now, that was enough. She was going to fix this. They were going to fix this. Together. This was science, Their domain. Their comfort zone. If anyone could figure out an unsolvable scientific puzzle, it was the two of them.

But there was still the dark doubt, in both of their minds. What if this wasn't science? Strange things had been happening lately. People had been witnessed as coming from the sky. Aliens had descended on the earth through an interdemensional portal. This was all stuff of myth and legend that had been proven to be true. What if there were more supposed myths that were really true? Fitz had never really believed in magic. Simmons had always speculated that magic was simply science that they couldn't understand. But what if magic wasn't just unexplained science? What if it was everything that fairytales and storybooks had said it was? What if the monsters were real? Faeries. Trolls. Giants. Vampires. Werewolves.

**Thank you all for reading my first chapter of the new year! ^_^ I hope for this to be as successful as **_**I'm not Giving up on You**_** (**** s/10891791/1/I-m-Not-Giving-Up-On-You**** ) or even more so! Please review, favorite, and follow! I hope to post the next chapter soon!**


	2. Beauty and the BioChemist

It was change night. Simmons was armed to the teeth with dendrotoxin and everything she needed to collect samples. Fitz was down in the pit, doing one last check before the sun set. Once he was done, he hefted a large boat chain to the center of the enclosure. There was a large steel ring there that Fitz had cemented in for just such an occasion. As he fastened the chain to it, Simmons walked into the pit.

"I want you in and out in twenty minutes, do you think you can handle that?" he questioned as she approached.

Simmons nodded.

"That should be enough time. I'm just going to take a few blood and saliva samples tonight." she replied.

Fitz cringed at the mention of saliva.

"I don't want you near my mouth for very long." he warned.

Simmons gave him a sad smile.

"You'll be unconscious. I'll be fine." she said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

She knelt down beside him and looked at him seriously. She slid her hand onto his knees and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Though, I still refuse to believe you would ever hurt me. No matter what form you're in." she said softly.

Fitz sighed and put his hand on hers.

"That's sweet, love. But you know I can't control myself when I'm…that way." he replied sadly.

Simmons laid her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"Well, after tonight, we'll have a better chance of cracking this thing, so it won't matter." she encouraged.

Fitz smiled and mussed her hair playfully.

"You're right." he said before getting up.

"Now let's get me chained up and you behind the blast door before the sun goes down."

**~*#*~**

Skye was dropped off near in the wilderness near where the attacks had taken place. She was heavily armed with a personal arsenal that even included a pistol with silver bullets. Just in case this thing really was a werewolf and the legends were true. Agent Hand was right; there was nothing out here but woods and a few abandoned buildings. If this was a guy who turned into a wolf, he had certainly tried to minimize damage. She had to admit, that was admirable.

Skye started her search in a dilapidated shack a few yards from where she had been dropped. All her senses were on high alert. This thing could be anywhere and the full moon was about to rise. In the fading light, Skye was able to search and clear two abandoned houses, a run-down milk shed, and the remains of a burned-down barn. None of them yielded any sign of activity. It wasn't until the sun finally set that she got her first clue as to where the monster might be. As she was investigating a large pile of boulders for any signs of a cave, she heard a loud cry pierce the silence of the night. The sound made her blood curdle and an icy chill go up her spine. It sounded human but…not. Though every survival instinct told her to run as far from the sound as possible, she started to move toward it. She had to catch this thing. If she could.

~*#*~

Simmons had closed her eyes and covered her ears once the change had started but it helped very little. She could still hear the sounds of bones breaking and stretching. The sound of cloths ripping under the force of the body expanding and changing shape. The agonized cries of Fitz and how they slowly turned to yelps and howls. This was the true burden of the curse. Pain. Cruel, terrible, unforgiving pain. Simmons fought against tears. Poor Fitz. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through. After a few minutes, the noises settled down. This was her chance. The wolf wasn't active in the moments after the change. It needed a few minutes to gather its strength. Simmons carefully opened the blast door enough to slip through.

The creature was panting heavily and whimpering softly. It lay on its side, faced away from Simmons. Now was the time. Jemma drew her tranquilizer and aimed it at Fitz. She had to move a bit closer to improve her aim but that proved to be something of a mistake. After she had taken a few steps, the creature's ears perked up and it lifted its head. It tested the air and a low growl rumbled through its chest. It got up and turned toward Simmons, its lips curled viciously. The wolf snarled and lunged for her. Simmons took a cautionary step back but the boat chain stopped the beast in its tracks. With a frustrated growl, the creature pulled against the chain stubbornly.

Simmons took a deep breath and aimed the night-night pistol. She took a shot but her hands were shaking so it landed in the dirt to the right of the wolf. The creature looked at her and snarled again, its fangs dripping with malice. Simmons took another breath and steadied her hands. This time, she caught Fitz in the shoulder and the beast wavered before flopping to the ground. Simmons shot again for good measure and then started the first of her five-minute timers. She went over and started taking her samples. True to her word, she read ministered the dendrotoxin to Fitz in five-minute intervals. She on the last cycle, she collected the salivary samples. This, she thought, might be the true key. She had a theory that werewolfism was spread through direct contact of an open wound with the saliva of an "active" wolf. Somewhat like rabies. She was just about done collecting when she heard something from above.

"Holy fuck!"

She turned to see a woman standing at the edge of the pit, looking down at herself and Fitz with a mixture of horror and disgust and a gun pointed at them. Simmons was stunned.

"What are you doing- who are you?" she asked, dazed.

"I might ask you the same thing along with: what the hell is going on here? Now get your hands up where I can see them." Skye retorted.

Simmons put her hands up in surrender.

"Listen to me. We don't want any trouble. Just let me finish collecting my samples and I'll come up and explain the whole thing." she said slowly.

Skye looked at her questioningly.

"Wait, samples? Are you…are you studying that thing? Is that why it's in that cage?"

"Enclosure! Look, the dendrotoxin I used on him isn't going to last much longer so, can I please?" Simmons pleaded.

Skye held for a moment then nodded.

"Alright, but hurry up." she said, keeping her gun trained on the scientist, just in case.

Jemma hurriedly collected the samples, packed everything away and started for the door. But the dendrotoxin had worn off, thanks to the delay, and Fitz woke before she could get out of range. The wolf rose to his feet and growled before swiping at Simmons. She shrieked and cried out in pain as its razor-sharp claws slashed four red marks across her back. She fell forward on her hands and knees. The pain was excruciating but she new she had to continue on lest Fitz bite her. She scrambled to her feet and dashed for the blast door. Meanwhile, Fitz struggled against the chain with all his might. After a moment, there was a loud groan as one of the links started to give way. Simmons was almost at the door when she heard a loud sound, like a gunshot. She looked over her shoulder and saw, to her horror, Fitz charging at her with the chain dragging behind him. She gasped and bolted for the door. The locks clanged into place just moments before Fitz threw himself at the solid titanium. Simmons stood on the other side, panting heavily, her eyes wide with fear. Her legs felt frozen and she felt a tremor of fear work its way through her body. After a short moment, the shock of what had happened wore off and the emotions flooded into her him. She collapsed to the knees and buried her head in her hands. Despite everything she thought, Fitz had attacked her. Tried to kill her. She hadn't wanted to acknowledge it, but now she had no choice. Fitz was a monster. His only thought once the full moon rose was to kill. And she was just his prey.

"That was pretty damn close."

Jemma turned to see the stranger behind her, the pistol now holstered at her side. The woman came over and knelt down beside her.

"Come on, you need to get those wounds taken care of." she said as she draped Simmons' arm over her shoulder.

Very gingerly, the woman wrapped her arm around Simmons waist and helped her stand. The two slowly moved toward the house.

"I'm Skye, by the way. Agent Skye, of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Dr. Jemma Simmons. Thank you, Agent Skye. I'm sure you have some questions."

Skye snorted and nodded.

"Yeah, I might have a few. But, first, lets get you fixed up. I don't have much medical training but I'm pretty good at being a pair of hands you tell what to do." she teased lightly.

Jemma gave a half smile.

"That should work." she replied gratefully

The pair hobbled into the house and made their way into the living room.

"There's a basic first-aid kit in the kitchen below the sink." she instructed Skye as the Agent helped her sit.

Skye nodded and hurried to get it as soon as Simmons was settled. She brought it back over and opened it up on the coffee table. She turned to inspect the scientist's back and cringed.

"Alright, I think what's left of this shirt's gonna have to come off. I can't tell the difference between fabric and skin." she reported.

Simmons nodded.

"Very well, cut it off then. Gently."

Skye nodded and took the pair of scissors out of the kit. Very carefully, she cut away the shreds of fabric. First the shirt and then what was left of the bra. Now she could see how bad the damage was. It made her pale. First of all, the cuts were deep. The claws on that thing had sliced clean through to the boon in some places. Worst of all, they were long. Each one ran nearly the full length of her back. Skye shook her head.

"Looks like you're gonna need stitches, Doc." she said apprehensively.

Simmons bit her lip and nodded.

"Have you ever done that before, Agent Skye?" she asked.

Skye shook her head.

"Nope. Think you can guide me through it?" she replied.

Simmons nodded.

"First, go to the closet in the hall. You'll find what looks like a file cabinet there. The third drawer from the top, at the very front there should be a blue box. That should have everything you need."

True to her word, Skye was excellent at following directions. With Simmons' careful instruction, she was able to sew up the gashes with little problem. It didn't look neat or pretty by any stretch, but it worked.

"Well, I can say one thing: this is going to be one bad-ass scar." Skye said as she snipped the last of over a hundred sutures.

Jemma sighed and shook her head.

"Fantastic." she mumbled.

Skye looked at the scientist with concern.

"Can I ask you something personal?" she asked.

Simmons looked back at her, brow furrowed, and nodded slowly. Skye shifted, trying to find the words. Finally, she shrugged.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

Simmons looked away, out the window. In the distance, she could hear Fitz going mad in the enclosure. Trying to get out again, no doubt. She gave a steady sigh.

"He's my best friend in the world." she murmured.

Skye felt a pang in her chest. This poor girl!

"That's rough. I…I'm sorry." she said softly.

Simmons shrugged.

"I just hope there's still time to save him." she whispered.

She turned and looked at Skye, indicating to her sample box on the coffee table.

"That's why I was collecting samples from him tonight. When I collect them any other day, there's no evidence that anything's wrong with him. So, I theorize that the infection stays dormant until he changes." she explained.

Skye looked at her curiously.

"Wait, infection? You don't think it's a curse?" she inquired.

Simmons shook her head.

"I'm disinclined to believe that magic of any kind actually exists. There are certainly things that I can't explain but that doesn't mean they don't have a scientific explanation." she replied.

Skye nodded and shrugged.

"I guess that makes sense. Science until proven otherwise."

"Exactly!" Simmons said with a smile.

Skye smiled back. The doctor had a nice smile. Very warm and inviting. Skye rarely felt at ease around civilians but Dr. Simmons seemed to be an exception. It was as she thought this, the Agent suddenly remembered that the British girl was bereft of a shirt. Skye cleared her throat.

"Well, why don't you get changed and then you can tell me everything you know on the subject." she suggested.

It seemed Simmons had forgotten she was unclothed from the waist up because, the moment Skye said something, her cheeks went scarlet. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest.

"Um, right…a-absolutely." she stammered as she got up and quickly shuffled off to her bedroom.

Skye chuckled and shook her head. But, after Simmons was gone from sight, she frowned. This was far different from what she had expected. She had been preparing herself for an epic battle against a legendary creature. Now she finds this scientist who is doing everything she can to save a beloved friend. Agent Hand expected a report by the end of the night. Skye sighed and dug her fingers through her hair.

"What should I tell her?" she whispered.

**~*#*~**

**Thank you all for reading! I hope this story is as captivating as my others. Please review, follow, and fav to your heart's content! I'll try to get the next chapter up A.S.A.P! Until then, thank you again!**


	3. Beauty's Poison Rose

Simmons came back after changing and found Agent Skye admiring one of the diplomas on the wall. The doctor came up behind the agent and smiled when she saw it was one of hers.

"Doing some research, Agent Skye?" she asked.

Skye looked back at Simmons, surprise clear on her face.

"You earned two PhDs in two years?" she asked incredulously.

Simmons shook her head.

"Oh, heavens, no! I started working on the first one while I was finishing up grad-school." she explained.

Skye snorted and shook her head.

"Oh, is that all?" she teased.

She looked back at the diploma.

"So, this stuff must come pretty naturally to you. Science, I mean." she guessed.

Simmons shrugged and nodded.

"Most of it. But medicine has always been my true calling. I love helping people feel better. Even as a young girl, I was always bringing injured birds and cats into the house. Even tried to bring my goldfish, Elizabeth Blackwell, back to life when she went belly-up." she said, chuckling at the fond memories.

Skye smiled back at Simmons sadly.

"Dr. Simmons. . . You know why I'm here, don't you." she said, getting down to business.

Simmons frowned and looked away.

"I suppose you're after Fitz?" she questioned quietly.

Skye nodded and put a hand on Simmons' shoulder. She met the doctor's eyes.

"I know you've been trying, Doc, but your friend has killed people. He tried to kill you." she said gently.

Tears pricked Jemma's eyes and she shook her head.

"He didn't mean it. He doesn't mean any of it" she insisted.

Skye looked at her seriously.

"I realize that, I really do. But S.H.I.E.L.D, the agency I work for, is about protecting people from this sort of thing. And, if there is even a chance that Fitz will hurt more people, they're going to do everything they can to prevent that." she explained carefully.

Simmons looked at her, horrified.

"You mean…kill him?" she whispered.

Skye nodded.

"If necessary, yes. I don't want it to come to that and I know you don't either, but it's a real possibility." she confirmed.

Simmons fought tears. She took a deep breath and gave a shaky sigh.

"Well wh-what do you propose we do?" she asked, trying to hide her panic.

"You guys have to turn yourselves in." Skye replied. "If you do that, my superiors will trust you a lot easier than if I have to bring you in. You could continue to work on a cure but with an entire team behind you to help you."

Simmons took another breath and nodded. That sounded sensible but…

"What about Fitz?" she asked.

Skye shrugged sheepishly.

"They'll want to keep him contained, as a precaution. I'm sure you'll be able to visit him regu-"

"Visit? No, unacceptable, I need him with me!" Simmons insisted.

Skye sighed and looked at her pleadingly.

"That might not be possible, Doc. He's a risk factor." she explained.

"Only during the full moon! Any other day of the month, he is a sweet, sensible, brilliant man! And stop calling me Doc, I am not a dwarf!" she protested.

Skye put her hands up in defense.

"Alright, this isn't getting us anywhere. Let's just sit down and talk this out." she suggested, motioning to the couch.

Simmons sucked a breath in and nodded.

"Yes, you are absolutely right." she said as she sat down.

She looked up at Skye seriously.

"But I'm telling you now, I will never, _ever, _put Fitz in a cage." she said sternly.

**~*#*~**

Simmons and Skye talked all night. They each had three cups of coffee but, eventually, they came to a decision that suited both of them. In the early hours of the morning, they talked of more pleasant things. What schools they went to. The jobs they had. The movies they liked and books they had read. Both women had a surprising amount in common. They were actually starting to have a nice time when Simmons noticed the sun coming through the window. She heard a pained howl and her smile faded, a sad expression taking it's place.

"Fitz." she whispered as she rose and ran to the door.

Skye followed behind her, keeping one hand on her gun. Just in case. Simmons ran up to the edge of the enclosure in time to see the last of the wolf retreat into Fitz. He curled into a ball, sweat beaded on his bare skin, panting heavily. The wolf had made a mess of the enclosure. Blood was everywhere, both from the rabbits and from Fitz. He was going to have new scars. But they would be nothing compared to the pain Simmons knew he must be feeling inside. She went over to the pit entrance and opened a compartment in the frame. There was a bundle of clothes that she took out and tucked under her arm before opening the blast door. She could hear Fitz sobbing now. It broke her heart. Slowly, quietly, she approached him. Skye came and stood by the entrance. This was all just two sad. The connection that these two had was unlike anything she had ever seen before. She found herself wishing she had someone who cared for her as much as they cared for each other.

Simmons closed the gap between herself and Fitz. Once she was a few feet away from him, she cleared her throat. Fitz went ridged and turned to look at her. His eyes were red and his face was drenched in tears. He looked at the ground and sniffed.

"I…I'm so sorry, Jemma." he whispered in a broken voice.

He buried his head in his hands and sobbed quietly. Jemma dropped the clothes and went to kneel in front of him. She threw her around him.

"It's not your fault, Fitz." she whispered.

Her words only made Fitz sob harder. Simmons held him tightly, her own tears flowing together with his. They stayed that was for a few minutes before Fitz finally managed to pull himself together a bit. He looked up at Simmons, his face tired and grief-stricken.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" he whispered hoarsely. "Inside and out."

Simmons smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Only for you." she murmured.

She sighed and grabbed the clothes from where she had dropped them, handing them to Fitz.

"Now, get yourself dressed, we have company." she said softly.

Fitz looked at her in fear and confusion but she smiled and patted his arm.

"It's alright. I don't believe she's here to hurt us. Not anymore." she reassured him.

Skye watched the scene from the door. She felt like a horrible person for sending her coordinates to Agent Hand but she knew it was for the best. Much as Simmons believed that Fitz was well contained, they couldn't take any chances. S.H.I.E.L.D was equipped to contain the Hulk. If this thing was stronger than the Hulk…well, Skye didn't want to think about that. All she knew was that Simmons was going to do everything she could to keep Fitz from being locked up. Skye had promised her that she wouldn't let that happen but, truthfully, she didn't think that was a promise she was going to be able to keep. Agent Hand would make the finally decision and Skye would obey any command she made. No matter what.

**~*#*~**

The group made their way back to the house. Simmons started dishing up a seemingly endless breakfast, which Fitz consumed almost entirely by himself. The change had left him ragged and weary. Skye was pretty hungry herself, not having eaten since before she had been dropped off. Simmons had a biscuit here and a piece of bacon there but she wasn't really hungry. She had more important things on her mind. Like finding the cure for Fitz using the samples she had collected and top-of-the-line lab equipment that Skye had agreed to give her access to once they reached a place called "The Sandbox". It sounded a bit ridiculous but the agent had assured her it was a state-of-the-art research facility. If she was going to find a cure for this, surely she would be able to do it there.

When Fitz was done eating, he went to shower, leaving the girls to clean. As they worked, Simmons could sense something was wrong with Skye. She seemed very quiet and somber. Which, from what Simmons had seen, was not her normal behavior? After a few minutes of silence, she cleared her throat.

"Is everything alright, Agent Skye?" she asked cautiously.

Skye put a smile on her face and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." she only partially lied.

Well, they had stayed up all night. It was possible that her behavior was just tiredness, but Simmons felt there was something more. But she didn't know how to approach her about it. So, she kept quiet and finished cleaning up.

It was well into the day when the quinjets arrived. Skye had braced Simmons and Fitz to the best of her ability but she knew that no amount of prep would be sufficient for meeting Hand. She was a different breed entirely. The agent and the two scientists stepped out of the house and Agent hand stepped off the quinjet to greet them. She nodded at Agent Skye.

"Well done, agent." she said in approval.

Skye smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am. May I introduce Dr. Jemma Simmons and Dr. Leopold Fitz." she said, gesturing to each scientist in turn.

Hand nodded.

"Which one is the wolf?" she asked curtly.

Fitz cleared his throat and stepped forward nervously.

"That, uh, that would be me, ma'am." he replied.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Fitz." she said with a small smile.

She turned to look over her shoulder.

"Kaminski. Peters. Would you please show Dr. Fitz to his cell." she ordered.

Simmons looked at her in shock and confusion.

"Cell?" she inquired.

She looked over at Skye incredulously.

"Cell?!"

Skye looked at Agent Hand imploringly.

"Agent Hand, please, Dr. Fitz is not dangerous. Is a cell really necessary?" she asked.

Agent Hand shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Agent Skye, but until I can assess that for myself I am not taking any chances of endangering my men." she said sternly.

Kaminski and Peters flanked Fitz and Peters took hold of his elbow. Fitz looked over his shoulder as they started guiding him up the loading ramp and smiled at Simmons.

"It's alright, Simmons." he said reassuringly.

Simmons looked after Fitz, a distressed look on her face.

"Fitz." she whispered under her breath.

She looked at Skye angrily.

"You promised me!" she accused.

Skye looked at her pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, Simmons, there's nothing I can do. She's my superior." she explained.

"Agent Skye, would you please escort Dr. Simmons to her cell." Agent Hand requested.

"What?!" Simmons and Skye said simultaneously.

"You said she's known all this time. That means she hid him and covered his tracks for a year. In my book, that translates to aiding and abetting. Which means she needs to go through due process before I feel I can begin to trust her." she explained.

Skye looked hopelessly at Hand and then back at Simmons. Finally she sighed and nodded.

"I understand." she obediently.

She stepped back over to Simmons who looked at her in shock.

"We're not getting into this, Simmons. Please, just cooperate." she said softly.

Simmons was fuming. If looks could kill, Skye would have her thoracic cavity ripped open and her intestines wrapped around her neck, choking her out. And she was certain that, if anyone could do that, it would be Simmons. Skye dared not try to touch her so she just started walking, hoping the biochemist would follow her. Skye could feel a wave of seething rage washing over her from behind as she led Simmons into the quinjet.

"I trusted you." Simmons hissed.

Skye sighed and shook her head.

"Look, Victoria Hand is a hard person to convince of anything. I'll try softening her up but, until that, you're just going to have to do what she asks. You've got nothing to hide, Simmons. You're not doing anything diabolical to or with Fitz. You'll be fine as long as you have nothing to hide." she explained calmly.

Simmons sighed and shook her head. The two stayed silent until they reached Simmons' cell. Skye opened the door and ushered her in. Simmons stepped into the room, reluctantly. Skye looked at her with determination.

"I promise you, I will sort this out. But I need you to trust me, Simmons." she said imploringly.

Simmons looked at her for a long moment. Finally she sighed and nodded, running her fingers through her hair.

"Fine. I guess I don't have much of a choice." she muttered, giving Skye a half smile.

Skye smiled and put a hand on Simmons' shoulder. After a moment, she pulled her into a gentle hug.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Either of you. I'm going to make this right." she whispered.

Simmons slowly put her arms around Skye and rested her head on the agent's shoulder.

"I know."

**~*#*~**

**Woot! Chapter 3 done! And the plot thickens! ^_^ Once again, thank you all for reading! Follow Fav, and review to your fan girl/boy heart's content!**


End file.
